Crowd: Whoo hoo ...!
Crowd: To ... Mellophine!
BANG ...!
The Bollinger R.D. was opened with the sound. The bright golden liquor rose into the air lavishly. The institute was alive with the scent of plums, dried apricots and fresh hazelnuts.
The Phase III clinical trial was supposed to be the longest and the most difficult challenge to take. Even after that, the thick documents of the new drug had to be submitted again, and waited to be approved for at least six months.
Researcher II: Hey! Don't touch my steak!
However, it took only three months for Mellophine to get the marketing approval. Soon, a legendary drug that could rewrite the history was ready for the world in just one year.
It all went incredibly fast, yet creepily smooth.
Professor Evan: Hahahaha! To the Campbells!
Crowd: To the Campbells!
Tooth Fairy: Thank you all.
Researcher I: What's wrong? The champagne's not to your taste?
Tooth Fairy: ... Not really.
The golden bubbles in the glass rose slowly along with a bit of aniseed aroma.
*bubbles break*
My uneasiness was like the bubbles in the glass, gradually rising and hovering on the edge of breaking.
Tooth Fairy: ... It's 9:35 p.m.
That was the third time I'd raised my wrist. Unfortunately, the hour hand of my watch had only sluggishly advanced three notches.
Tooth Fairy: ...
But I had no intention of staying any longer.
Tooth Fairy: No worries. I'll let you get on, never mind.
Tooth Fairy: It's a bit muggy. I'm getting some fresh air.
Professor Evan: ...
Tooth Fairy: Huh ...
Tooth Fairy: ...
Tooth Fairy: I should go and...
As I moved, there was a slight crashing sound coming from within the flannel pouch I carried.
Tooth Fairy: ...
I didn't understand where the inexplicable uneasiness came from ... Was it because it's going too well?
Tooth Fairy: Huh ...
Or was it because at that moment, I did not believe wholeheartedly in the possibility that humans and arcanists could work together?
*door opens*
The lab was dark, and although the lights were not on, I could just smelled a sense of foreboding.
Tooth Fairy: ...!
Tooth Fairy: This, it's ...
Mice, rabbits, beagles, and multiple species of carbuncles and olitiaus, I had taken care of every single one of them.
And now, they were, without exception, limp inside the cages, dying.
Tooth Fairy: How could this happen ...?
If the carbuncles and olitiaus were still barely alive, those poor animals without arcane power were in unbearable miseries.
Obviously before they died, they had been subjected to much torture. The wounds on their bodies were mostly left when their struggled.
Tooth Fairy: ... No. 12.
The white Carbuncle lay in the deepest part of the cage. Its teeth broken by itself were scattered around. It would break up into pieces by the slightest touch.
???: Ms. Campbell.
???: Don't hide there.
Tooth Fairy: ...
Everything turned out to be clear. The conference, the tooth, the approval that's too fast, the list of people about to join the pharmaceutical company...
I didn't look back.
Tooth Fairy: Professor Evan.
Professor Evan: ... It rarely happens.
Tooth Fairy: Rarely?
I just felt like my voice was barely heard.
Tooth Fairy: Did your sustained release formula really work?
Tooth Fairy: How many milligrams does one single tablet contain? Have the extracts been approved by the arcanist side?
Professor Evan: Most pureblood arcanist volunteers haven't seen any serious undesirable effects.
Tooth Fairy: Pureblood ... Great.
I turned around to face my former mentor, who looked even strange to me at the moment.
Tooth Fairy: 5mg? 10mg? How many did you put in?
Tooth Fairy: How about you taste it, and see what happens to humans?
Tooth Fairy: You sent me the fake treatment reports of the volunteers.
Professor Evan: FDA has approved it for marketing. There's no point of questioning me.
Tooth Fairy: That's a bribe.
Professor Evan: It does work wonders. There is no other drug in market that takes effect faster and lasts longer than it does.
Professor Evan: It's a basic human right to get rid of pain. The side effects are the price that must be paid for dignity.
Tooth Fairy: Now, your hypocritical propaganda doesn't work for me.
Tooth Fairy: Please move.
Professor Evan: Ms. Campbell ...
Tooth Fairy: Get out of my way!!
I almost ran madly back to the hotel.
Nothing was more important than terminating the clinical treatment experiment ... before it's too late.
It did work, yes, as long as I was quick enough, and as long as there's no delay, with adequate dosage, and handn't cause any irreversible complications...
*door bumped*
Tooth Fairy: Hah ... Hah ...
Tooth Fairy: ...!
I kicked the hotel door open. My calves felt like two taut bows. I almost got the telephone receiver with both my hands and knees.
Phone: You have a voice message. It will be played after the beep.
Tooth Fairy: ...
Beep ...
Phone: Hey ... Ms. Tooth Fairy. How are you?
Phone: You ... I really appreciate your help, and my Mom ...
Phone: I, I ...
Phone: Mom passed away yesterday ... I'm sorry I can't give you the address of the cemetery.
Phone: When I get back to Texas, I'll have a simple funeral for her at home.
Phone: ... I wish you could come.
Phone: Oh, right ... this is ... this is John.
Phone: Goodbye.
